A 19-year-old Newcomerstown man will face at least five years in prison after pleading guilty to raping a girl.

A trial was set to begin Tuesday for Daniel H. McComas in Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court in New Philadelphia. However, McComas agreed to a plea deal Monday, according to county Juvenile Prosecutor Amanda Miller. A county grand jury indicted McComas on one count of rape, a first-degree felony, for the incident June 27, 2011, involving a girl under age 13. Newcomerstown police investigated the incident.

In exchange for his guilty plea, the age specification of the girl’s being under 13 was dropped, Miller explained. If convicted with the age specification, McComas faced a possible prison

sentence of 25 years to life.

Now, the sentence calls for a mandatory minimum of five years in prison. As is typical with a first-degree felony, the maximum sentence is 10 years in prison, followed by parole.

“We’re going to recommend that he serve eight years in prison, followed by five years of parole, although the judge could order him to serve more,” Miller said. “We discussed this with everyone involved, including the victim and the various mental health counseling agencies. The victim is still undergoing counseling. We determined that eight years in prison would serve the requirements of justice in this case, and to also spare the victim from being retraumatized during the trial process.”

McComas also must register as a Tier III sexual offender — the highest level — for the rest of his life. That requires that he provide his address every 90 days to the sheriff in McComas’ county of residence. He is subject to community notification that he is residing in the area, which would apply wherever he might move to nationwide.

A sentencing hearing before Judge Elizabeth Lehigh-Thomakos is scheduled for Jan. 30.

Attorney Dan Guinn is representing McComas.

McComas was initially charged in juvenile court and placed under house arrest. Miller later asked that he be bound over for trial as an adult, and Juvenile Court Judge Linda Kate granted the request.

McComas was less than four months away from this 18th birthday when the rape occurred. Prosecutors pursued adult charges because of the serious nature of the crime, and because he would receive more time incarcerated. If convicted in juvenile court, his maximum sentence would only have been about three years, until he turned 21.